The total plan outlay of the state for 2010-11 has been pegged at Rs 1500 cr with no changes from 2009-10. However, the good news has been for the government employees, with the Centre agreeing to take care of the shortfall in expenditure by Rs 712 cr. The grant also includes an additional Rs 80 cr being the offer of the government to the employees to give notional effect to ROP ’10 from June 1, 2008. This move by the central government has brought about the much needed relief to the state government after a series of remonstrations was carried out by the government employees for implementation of the 6th ROP. Addressing a press conference at Dimapur Airport lounge, state Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio who also holds the finance portfolio informed about the developments on his arrival from New Delhi after holding discussions with the Prime Minister, Union Finance Minister, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia for both the annual plan of the state and implementation of the 6th ROP. “The discussions on the 16th of June were cordial and Dr Ahluwalia and his colleagues in the planning commission have been, as in the past, sympathetic to the concerns raised by me in regard to the development of the state as well the difficulties arising because of the 13th finance commission….” Rio stated. It maybe mentioned that the same discussion was also carried out on May 4 last but remained inconclusive due to the problems arising out of the recommendations of the 13th finance commission. Accepting the unchanged outlay of 2010-11 from last year at Rs 1500 cr, the Chief Minister also pointed out that the plan size for the 2010-11 would have been pegged at 2212 cr had it not been for the salary expenditure. “I thought it prudent to sacrifice a larger plan size to pave the path for meeting the demands of the employees for salary revision as well as to avoid the unpleasant course of huge retrenchment of government employees which was implied by the normative approach adopted by the 13th Finance Commission” Rio averred.He also expressed his gratitude to the central government, PM, FM, Dy. Chairperson Planning Commission of India and Governor Nikhil Kumar for intervening to solve the ‘serious financial problem faced by the state’. Rio who also attended the East Zone CMs conference with the Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukerjee and bankers at Patna informed that the main agenda was to discuss on how to extend the banking facilities in rural areas. In relation to this, he said that the Village Development Boards (VDBs) can play an important role in connecting the rural population with the banking norms. The CM also informed that a proposal to include tribal hohos in the District Planning and Development Board (DPDB) is already on the cards and necessary change in guidelines will be discussed on June 21. Eco bandh cannot go State Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio stated that the ongoing economic ban of Manipur bound vehicles along NH 39 cannot continue on like this and urged the NSF and ANSAM to lift the ban. While at the same time he also lauded all the NGOs including the NSF for lifting the ban temporarily. When asked about the steps taken to assure the truckers apprehensions of traveling through NH-39 to Manipur, Rio averred that there was no reason why the truckers should be afraid off. “All the time we have given security, it our duty and there should be no problem” he asserted.